Universal Design & Accessibility Issues in the Library

1. Universal Design & Accessibility Issues in the Library Library MTI – April 2011 Craig Spooner & Marla Roll

2. Introductions • Marla Roll, MS, OTR/L • Director, Assistive Technology Resource Center – (http://atrc.colostate.edu/) • Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy • Co-PI , ACCESS Project – Access to Postsecondary Education through Universal Design for Learning (http://accessproject.colostate.edu/) • Craig Spooner • UDL Coordinator, ACCESS and OPS Projects

3. Agenda • What does UDL have to do with disability? • What does UDL have to do with digital content? • What do you need to know about disability? • What can you do to help students with disabilities?

4. Disabilities: • Mobility Impairments • Blindness/Visual Impairments • Deafness/Hearing Impairments • Learning Disabilities • Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD) • Autism Spectrum Disorder • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • Mental Illness 2/3

5. 1National Center for Education Statistics, 2008; U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2009 2Schelly, Davies & Spooner, Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability (Feb. 2011) Disabilities in Higher Education • Nationally, 11.3% of undergraduates report some type of disability1 • At Colorado State University2 • 8%–11% report a disability • Non-apparent disabilities are the largest proportion and growing • Even among students who say they have a disability, few seek accommodations

6. Universal Design for Learning “ Universal Design for Learning (UDL)is a set of principles and techniques for creating inclusive classroom instruction and accessible course materials. teaching ” technology

7. Universal Design (UD) • Build in accessibility from the start • Curb cuts in city streets • Ramps and automatic door openers • TV closed captions • Ergonomic kitchen utensils • Everyone benefits from a more flexible, user-friendly environment • Fix the environment, not the individual

8. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) • Inclusivepedagogy • UDL applies to both teaching and technology

9. UDL and Web Access • The Web is not a barrier to people with disabilities, it is the solution… However, for the Web to reach its full potential for people with disabilities, web developers must commit to designing with accessibility in mind. – WebAIM

10. UDL & Digital content: • PDF/ E- Reserves • Forms • Databases • E-Books • Others?

11. Equal access Legislation: • Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 • prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities. • Title II speaks to public universities • Rationale for services like RDS and ATRC • http://www.ada.gov/index.html • Revised Final ADA Regulation for Title II (Effective March 15th, 2011) • Auxiliary Aids – now speaks directly to electronic and info technology • Broadens how disability and major life activity is defined • http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/ADAregs2010.htm#titleII_final_2010 • Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 • prohibits discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance • Includes colleges and universities • http://www.dol.gov/oasam/regs/statutes/sec504.htm

12. LEGISLATION (CON’T) • Section 508 of the Rehab Act • primarily a procurement law • Ensures that electronic and information technology can interact with assistive technology - http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?fuseAction=AssistiveTechDevices • Standards Summary - http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?fuseAction=stdsSum • WCAG – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines • criteria for web-based information • developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the W3C • http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag.php • http://webaim.org/

13. Web Content Accessibility Checklist

14. UDL – What is the connection to legislation? • Legislation - speaks to individual accommodations but there are drawbacks: • Processes are more time consuming and costly to retrofit • Only addresses needs of an individual • Addresses access issues technically but not always functionally • UDL – designing for all types of users has benefits: • Building in access on the front end is more cost –effective • Has benefits for more people. E.g. computer lab • UDL can decrease the need for individual accommodations

15. Resources: • UDL and accessibility speak to types of disabilities: 2/3rds of CSU’s students that identify have non-apparent disabilities • Deaf & Hard of hearing • Visual impairments • Mobility impairments • Learning Disabilities • ADD/ ADHD • Autism spectrum • Psychological disabilities • Traumatic brain injuries • Disability awareness modules – http://accessproject.colostate.edu/disability/

16. Other Resources to consider: • universal design of libraries checklist • http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/PDF/equal_access_lib.pdf • Equal Access: Campus Libraries (video) • (DO-IT Project, University of Washington) • URL: http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/index.php?vid=49

17. Question & Answer: • Library Services - http://lib.colostate.edu/services

18. Recap: • UDL and Disability • UDL and Digital Content • Disability Overview • How to work help students with disabilities

19. Contact info: • Craig Spooner, MACraig.Spooner@colostate.edu970-491-0784 • Marla Roll, MS, OTR/LMarla.Roll@colostate.edu970-491-2016